Results

We represented a man charged in Penn Hills, PA with Maximum Speed Limits (Summary) for going 100mph in a 55mph speed zone. These charges could have resulted in 5 points on our client’s driving record and a license suspension. 

Through strategic negotiations and mitigation, we were able to reduce the speeding penalty to 20mph over the speed limit and no license suspension. 

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We represented a young woman charged in West Mifflin, PA with False ID To Law Enforcement (Misdemenaor 3) and Disorderly Conduct (Summary).

After a hearing, the Judge dismissed the charges. 

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We represent a young man charged in Pittsburgh, PA with Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Police Officer (Felony 3), Escape (Misdemeanor 2) and several summaries.

The charges arose from a traffic stop where the police pulled over my client for registration issues and after the officers initiated the traffic stop, our client drove off and was eventually found running down another street.

After a hearing, the Judge dismissed the Escape charge.

We represented a young woman charged in Clairton, PA with Responsibility to Cut or Remove Grass (Summary); a less serious offense, but an offense that does come with fines. 

The Judge dismissed the charges.

We represented a young woman charged in Turtle Creek, PA with Aggravated Assault (Felony 1). 

The charges arose from the victim accusing our client of stabbing her in the back of the head with a knife. Officers on the scene did find damage consistent with stabbing and transferred the victim to the hospital. Our client was subsequently charged and arrested. 

The Commonwealth  withdrew the charges against our client. 

We represented a man charged in Beaver County, PA with DUI Highest Rate of Alcohol (Ungraded Misdemeanor), DUI General Impairment (Ungraded Misdemeanor), and Careless Driving (Summary). Our client was concerned about these charges because he was from out of state working at the Cracker Plant and needed his license to get to and from work and back to his home state. 

The charges arose from our client driving at a high rate of speed into a gas station and nearly hitting a pole in the parking lot. The officer observed our client and approached him. Upon getting to our client the officer smelled alcohol coming from the driver and asked our client to participate in a Field Sobriety Test. Our client failed the field sobriety test and the officer asked our client to participate in a breathalyzer test. Our client complied and his B.A.C. Level was .17. 

Our client did not have a previous DUI, but did have a criminal record so he was not eligible for ARD. The district attorney wanted our client to plead to the highest rate DUI which would result in 6 months of intermediate punishment, with the 1st 72 hours on electronic monitoring, a $1,000 fine, and his license suspended for 1 year. 

Through strategic negotiations, we were able to negotiate a plea to the DUI General Impairment resulting in 6 months of probation, a $300 fine, and no license suspension. Our client was able to keep his job and his license allowing him to continue to work and drive.

For a passenger in a ride sharing accident that suffered: hemoperitoneum, mesenteric hematoma, lung contusion, expiratory wheezing, serosal tear of the small intestine, seatbelt abrasions, radiculopathy, disc protrusion, exacerbated degenerative disc disease, meralgia paresthetica, and had an appendectomy and transforaminal epidural injection.

We represented a young man charged in Mckees Rocks, PA with Receiving Stolen Property (Felony 2), Firearms Not to be Carried W/O License (Felony 2), and Carrying Loaded Weapon (Summary); charges that could make him a felon and have a long term detrimental impact on his life. 

The charges arose from a traffic stop where the officer pulled the vehicle over for not using a turn signal.  The driver of the vehicle did not have a license and the officer smelled the odor of marijuana, so he conducted a search of the vehicle. Our client was the passenger. Upon searching the vehicle, the officer found a loaded Taurus 9mm handgun under the seat of the front seat passenger (my client.) Neither my client nor the passenger had a license for the firearm, nor did either occupant of the vehicle take possession of the gun; and to make matters worse, the firearm was stolen. 

At the preliminary hearing we were able to get the necessary facts on the record for the purposes of either dismissing the charges at the preliminary hearing stage or through a habeas corpus motion at the Court of Common Pleas. The magisterial judge held the charges over and we filed a habeas corpus motion to contest the sufficiency of the evidence at the preliminary hearing upon receiving the transcript. 

We filed and litigated the habeas corpus motion and the Judge at the Court of Common Pleas dismissed the charges against my client. My client did not have a record prior to these charges and still does not have a record. Furthermore, because we quickly moved forward with the motion, our client did not have to spend a year with charges pending against him and his life could go back to normal.

We represented a man charged in Coraopolis, PA with Materially False Written Statement on the Purchase of a Firearm (Felony 3) and False Statement Under Penalty (Misdemeanor 3).

Our client was worried about these charges, not only because if he was found guilty he could face jail time, but because he was a commercial driver with his CDL and his company informed him if these charges were held he would lose his job. 

We represented the client for the preliminary hearing. We started our discovery process before the preliminary hearing and discovered an error in the official court documents that listed the wrong month for our client’s previous felony conviction. With this information we made a compelling argument to the district attorney. The district attorney agreed with our argument and withdrew the charges against our client. Essentially we were able to stop the criminal process before the preliminary hearing and our client was able to keep his job.

We represented a young woman charged in North Versailles, PA with Simple Assault (Misdemeanor 2) and Harassment (Summary) from a fight she had with her roommate. 

At the preliminary hearing we were able to work out a deal with the district attorney to have her charges withdrawn. 

Minor whiplash injury from a car crash collision.

We represented a young man charged in Pittsburgh, PA with Person Not to Possess a Firearm (Felony 1), Possession with Intent to Deliver (Ungraded Felony), Possession (Ungraded Misdemeanor), and Prohibited Acts (Ungraded Misdemeanor). 

The charges arose from an arrest warrant conducted on our client’s girlfriend’s house. Upon officers entering into the home, the officers saw a firearm and after they arrested our client, they applied for a search warrant for the house because of the firearm. Officers found heroin in different sandwich bags, scales, several cell-phones, a 9mm semi-automatic handgun, over $1,500 in currency, marijuana in a sandwich bag. 

We did not represent the client at the preliminary hearing. Upon receiving the case we combed through the discovery and found several issues wrong with the arrest and search warrant and filed a motion to suppress the evidence and a habeas corpus motion to contest the sufficiency of the evidence at the preliminary hearing. 

Plea to lesser-included drug charges. 

We represented a young woman charged in Upper Saint Clair, PA under Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act with Receiving Advanced Payment for Services and Fails to Perform (Felony 3), and Theft by Unlawful Taking (Felony 3).

The charges arose from contract work supposed to be completed the year prior, but our client was unable to complete the projects because her business went bankrupt. 

We represented the client at the preliminary hearing. The charges were held, but shortly thereafter we filed a habeas corpus petition arguing the sufficiency of the evidence at the preliminary hearing stage. 

The Judge in the Court of Common Pleas granted our motion and dismissed the charges against our client.

For a backseat passenger in a ride sharing accident.

We represented a young man charged in Pittsburgh, PA with Robbery (Felony 1), Person not to Possess a Firearm (Felony 1), Firearms not to be Carried W/O a License (Felony 3), Possession of a Weapon (Misdemeanor 1), Terroristic Threats (Misdemeandor 1), and Recklessly Endangering Another Person (Misdemeanor 2). 

It was alleged our client robbed the alleged victim at gun point and took everything he had. The alleged victim was able to identify out client and the direction he went. Officers arrived on the scene shortly after and went to the house where our client was and found our client and the firearm matching the description. 

We received the case during the trial phase. Upon receiving the discovery we noticed an issue with the identification process and filed a motion to suppress the identification. 

Through strategic negotiations we were able to reduce the client’s serious felony charges to a summary offense and no jail time.

We represented a young man charged in Pittsburgh, PA with Simple Assault (Misdemeanor 2), Conspiracy (Misdemeanor 2) and Obstruction of Highways (Summary). 

The charges arose out of a fight my client was involved in on a street in downtown Pittsburgh. 

We did not represent the client at the preliminary hearing. We received the case during the trial phase. We were able to negotiate a plea to a summary offense and no jail time.

We represented a man charged with 3 cases in Pittsburgh, PA, which included the following charges: Flight to Avoid Apprehension (Felony 3), Person not to Possess a Firearm (Felony 1), Carrying a Firearm w/o a License (Felony 3), Resisting Arrest (Misdemeanor 2) and Felony drug charges. 

We received the case at the trial phase. Upon receiving the discovery we noticed issues with the stop for the firearms case and issues with the warrant for the flight to avoid apprehension case. We filed motions to suppress for both cases. 

After litigating the motions, we were successful and the Judge suppressed the evidence found on our client after the arrest.   

We represented a woman charged in Turtle Creek, PA with 3 counts of Aggravated Assault (Felony 1). 

Charges withdrawn.  

We represented a young man charged in Pittsburgh, Pa with Criminal Mischief (Summary). 

The Judge dismissed the case at the hearing. 

We represented a young man charged in Pittsburgh, PA with Reckless Driving (Summary). 

Our client was extremely concerned about this charge because he worked for the United States Postal Service and this type of charge could lead to his termination at work. 

Upon receiving the case we researched the area where the ticket arose, downloaded photographic evidence, and presented an argument to the officer that the charges could not be substantiated. 

The officer dismissed the charge and our client was able to keep his job and a clean driving record. 

We represented a man charged with three cases in Pittsburgh, PA with Intimidation of Witness (Felony 1), Terroristic Threats (Misdemeanor 1), 4 counts of Possession with Intent to Deliver (Ungraded Felony), Criminal Use of Communication Facility (Ungraded Felony), and 4 counts of Possession (Ungraded Misdemeanor), Flight to Avoid Apprehension (Misdemeanor 2), and Possession (Ungraded Misdemeanor). 

We did not represent the client at the preliminary hearing stage, but instead received the case at the trial stage. The drug charges arose out of controlled buys and an arrest subsequent to the control buys. The intimidation of witness charge was the most serious offense and arose from our client allegedly confronting the witness about testifying in a homicide case. 

Client had a long rap sheet and was looking at a minimum of 2 years in a state penitentiary. Client did serve 9 months in jail despite us filing bond motions because the Judge would not let him out because of the Intimidation of witness charge. We were finally able to file a rule 600 motion at the 9 month mark and get our client out of jail pending his trial. 

The district attorney did not want to drop the intimidation charge and wanted at a minimum 2 years of incarceration. Through strategic negotiations of the three pending cases and mitigating factors, as well as pre-trial motions we were able to get client 5 years of probation for all of his charges and had the intimidation of the witness charge withdrawn. 

We represented a woman charged in Hastings, PA with Theft by Unlawful Taking (Felony 3) and Receiving Stolen Property (Felony 3). 

Client allegedly stole $5,000 worth of merchandise from her employer. 

We were able to negotiate to a summary offense. 

December 20, 2018 (Preliminary Hearing) 

We represented a woman charged in Pittsburgh, PA with Defiant Trespass (Misdemeanor 3). 

At the preliminary hearing we were able to negotiate a plea to a summary offense.

We represented a young woman charged in Pittsburgh, PA with 2 counts of Endangering the Welfare of Children (Misdemeanor 1). 

After a non-jury trial, the Judge found our client not guilty. 

We represented a young woman charged in Pittsburgh, PA with 2 counts of Possession (ungraded Misdemeanor), and Paraphernalia (ungraded Misdemeanor). 

We received the case during the trial phase. Upon receiving the discovery we filed a motion to suppress that the Judge found compelling, but ultimately denied. 

We were able to negotiate a plea to probation without verdict (a short term of probation that ends with no criminal conviction.)

We represented a man charged in Pittsbrugh, PA with Burglary (Felony 1), Conspiracy (Felony 1), and Receiving Stolen Property (Felony 3). 

We received the client during the trial phase. Essentially, our client worked as a security guard and during his shift it was alleged that the co-conspirator stole $5,000 from a safe that only the security guards had access to. It did not help that our client was on video leading the co-conspirator to the room where the safe was and the Commonwealth was able to elicit the fact that the co-conspirator plead guilty to the same charges. 

Despite the uphill battle we faced, we were able to poke holes in the Commonwealth’s case and the Jury came back after 30 minutes of deliberation with a not guilty verdict on all counts. 

We represented a woman charged in Pittsburgh, PA with 2 counts of Kidnapping for Ransom (Felony 1), 4 counts of IDSI Forcible Compulsion (Felony 1), Rape (Felony 1), Sexual Assault (Felony 2), 4 counts of Unlawful Restraint (Misdemeanor 1), 2 counts of Terroristic Threats (Misdemeanor 1), 4 counts of Simple Assault (Misdemeanor 2), 2 counts of Recklessly Endangering Another Person (Misdemeanor 2), Firearms Not to Be Carried w/o License, Conspiracy (Felony 1), Indecent Assault (Misdemeanor 2), Endangering Welfare of Children (Felony 3 and Misdemeanor 1), and Possession of Weapon (Misdemeanor 1). 

We represented our client at the preliminary hearing and were able to get sufficient facts out to later file a motion for habeas corpus. 

Upon receiving discover for the case we filed an Omnibus motion including; a habeas corpus petition, and a motion to suppress. We litigated the habeas corpus motion and were going to litigate the motion to suppress but the Commonwealth extended an offer our client wanted to take. 

Based off the strength of our motions, the Commonwealth extended a plea offer and our client accepted a plea to misdemeanor charges with no jail time and only probation.

We represented a woman charged in Pittsburgh, PA with Homicide (Felony 1). 

After the hearing, the Judge dismissed the Homicide charge.

We represented a young man charged in Pittsburgh, PA with Escape (Misdemeanor 2) and Disorderly Conduct (Summary). 

We received the case at the trial phase and upon reviewing the preliminary hearing transcript we filed a habeas corpus petition. Based off the petition, the Commonwealth withdrew the Escape charge and our client plead to a summary offense. 

We represented a young man charged in Pittsburgh, PA with 3 counts of Aggravated Assault (Felony 1), 3 counts of Aggravated Assault (Felony 2), 3 counts of Simple Assault (Misdemeanor 3), and 1 count of Possession of Weapon (Misdemeanor 1). 

The charges arose from a fight involving our client against 2 males and 1 woman. Essentially, the three alleged victims alleged that our client used a trench knife against them during a fight. The injuries sustained by the alleged victims included pulmonary contusion, lacerations to the chest, neck, and face. 

We had a non-jury trial. The beginning of the incident was on video. Through effective cross examination and the presentation of evidence we were able to poke holes in the Commonwealth’s case as to who was the initial aggressor and as to whom produced the knife. 

The Judge acquitted (not guilty) our client of the serious felony offenses and found our client guilty of the lowest graded charge: a misdemeanor 3. 

While Robert Disney was with the Public Defender’s Office in Allegheny County, he had the following charges dismissed at the preliminary hearing: DUI (marijuana), Aggravated Assault, Rape, Simple Assault, Endangering the Welfare of Children, and Criminal Use of a Communication Facility. 

The following drug charges (drugs include: Marijuana, Heroin, Cocaine, Crack, Suboxone): Possession with Intent to Deliver, Delivery, Manufacturing, Possession, and Paraphernalia. 

Robert Disney represented a client in a jury trial while in law school in Tallahassee, Florida. The client was charged with Battery (Misdemeanor 1) and Theft (Misdemeanor 2). 

Through effective cross-examination and poking holes in the States’ case, the Jury found our client not guilty of the charges.